This invention concerns a light system for the interior of a motor vehicle of a type having: at least one light-creation unit which respectively comprises an electrically activated and deactivated light source and a reflector for concentrating light from the light source; at least one light conductor whose first end is coupled to the light creation unit for transmitting concentrated light, the light conductor including a plurality of flexible individual light conductors; at least one light emitting element at a second end of the light conductor to directly or indirectly illuminate surfaces and symbols.
Lights are increasingly arranged in interior areas of motor vehicles for improved comfort of drivers and passengers. In addition to well-known ceiling and reading lamps, which are to some extent arranged in many different ways in motor vehicles, individual lights are increasingly mounted in interiors of motor vehicles to illuminate surfaces and symbols. Each individual lamp has thereby an electrically switchable light source and must have a connection to a main power supply of the motor vehicle via an electrical wire and a switch. Light systems of this kind require expensive wire networks, are expensive to install, and, because of the many light sources (or bulbs) required, need extensive maintenance.
A light system for a passenger interior space of a motor vehicle is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift DE 42 01 657 A1 in which, in order to reduce expenses for a cable network and thereby reduce electrical conductors required in a motor vehicle for coupling individual lamps, a multiplex data system is employed. Such a multiplex system requires however expensive, cost intensive, electrical components and does not contribute to a reduction in the number of individual light sources so that this system also has high maintenance costs as well.
German Offenlegungsschrift DE 38 38 770 A1 discloses an illumination system for a motor vehicle which can be constructed of illumination subsystems. One of these illumination subsystems is a light system for the interior space for a motor vehicle. This light system has a light creation unit which includes an electrically activated and deactivated light source and a reflector for concentrating light from the light source. The light system also has a light conductor whose first end is coupled to the light creation unit for transmitting the concentrated light (the light conductor being formed of a plurality of flexible, or bendable, individual light conductors) and whose second end is coupled to at least one light emitting element in the interior space of the motor vehicle. It has proven to be detrimental in this known system that only one central light source is provided for handling all light functions in the interior space of the motor vehicle. Thus, the light source must be of a high intensity type whereby a temperature problem is created in an area of the light source and an inconvenient energy balance is brought about. The reason for this unfavorable energy balance is that, in order to supply all of the light emitting elements in the motor vehicle, unduly great light conductor lengths are necessary and light switching elements must be provided in the light conductors for handling various light functions, so that light produced from the single light source is insufficiently used. Further, it proves to be disadvantageous that when the only light source burns out, light is no longer available in the interior of the motor vehicle for any light functions.
It is an object of this invention to provide a light system for the interior of a motor vehicle that makes possible an optimal illumination of all surfaces and symbols to be illuminated in the vehicle, that achieves a higher energy efficient level, that makes possible an uncomplicated electrical switching of functioning units and that can be more easily maintained and mounted.